The University of Ottawa and its Senate, from the eyes of students

GSAÉD Letter to Members of Senate Concerning Racism, Discrimination, and Reprisals in the Case of the Medical Residents

Jonathan Duguay, University Commissioner for the U. of O. Graduate Students’ Association (GSAÉD) has written a letter to all Members of Senate and the University administration, requesting a disciplinary investigation into the actions of Dr. Richard Moulton and other Faculty of Medicine administrators in the case of the three medical residents Manal Al-Saigh, Khalid Aba-Alkhail, and Waleed Al-Ghaithy (video report).

The main points of Mr. Duguay’s letter, translated into English are:

“As an organization concerned with student rights, we request that an independent committee evaluate the complaints submitted.

We call for a disciplinary investigation into the role of Dr. Richard Moulton and several other administrators from the Faculty of Medicine involved in this case.

We demand that Dr. Moulton be removed from his position as Chair of the Division of Neurosurgery while this investigation is ongoing.

We request to be informed of the University’s actions on this case immediately.

We request that recommendations be made to avoid similar events from occurring in the future.

The testimony and e-mails exposed at the March 9 press conference demonstrate troubling examples of discrimination, racism, reprisals, and intimidation. It is particularly troubling that the plaintiff students were targetted and punished for bringing complaints forward.

Unfortunately, many of our members face this type of treatment every year. This systemic problem must be resolved immediately.

These facts have been reported in the national media (CBC, Globe and Mail, Radio-Canada).

Please respond to these requests immediately, so that the GSAÉD can inform its members”.

Mr. Duguay’s letter to all Members of Senate follows my submission of a motion to acknowledge the discrimination problem and reaffirm the University’s commitment to non-discrimination at the Monday, April 4 meeting of the Senate. Drs. Aba-Alkhail, Al-Saigh, and Al-Ghaithy were present at the meeting to provide the Senate with their concerns about the state of racism at the University.

The Secretary’s office refused to distribute the leaked e-mails which were a part of the information for the motion, Senate Chairman Allan Rock refused to allow me to distribute this information before bringing the motion forward, and no Senator would second this basic motion regarding the pressing concern of racism on campus (meeting video). The meeting ended with a loss of quorum, with 1.5 hours of meeting time still scheduled, and without having heard from the medical doctors.